Racism Knows No Boundaries

I allowed myself to cool down before writing about this.

Today on my way home, I was listening to the radio. I have it tuned to the news/talk station on the way in to work, and on my way home from work that station has Sean Hannity’s radio show, which I sometimes let play.

Today, Sean had guests Leo Terrell and Armstrong Williams. Leo Terrell was arguing that opposition to President Obama is based upon racism, while Armstrong argued that opposition might come from other factors.

I stuck with the discussion because Terrell claimed that calling President Obama a “radical” was a code-word used by racists to discredit blacks.

It’s not that the President is arguing for our government to engage in activities that it is not authorized or permitted to do under the Constitution. It’s not that his policies, when examined with clarity and rationality, are essentially national socialistic in nature. It’s not that he has associated with Bill Ayers, Van Jones and Rahm Emanuel, all established and proud radicals. It’s not that he has single-handedly quadrupled the deficit and is trying to commit the government to more spending.

No, it’s because he’s black that opponents call him “radical.”

Hannity asked again and again for Terrell to name one single person who was opposed to Obama because of race. In over ten minutes of broadcast, Terrell did not name one name. Instead, he talked about “White America” and white southerners. He raved about code-words and shouted-down Armstrong Williams, accusing him of being an apologist for the Republican Party. He declaimed opponents to Barack Obama and the Democrats as hate-mongers and terrorists.

But he never gave an example, never named names. He offered no proof of any kind that opponents are racist. He just exclaimed the current liberal mantra: Of course opposition to the President is racist, because it is propogated by conservatives, libertarians and white America. Of course it’s racist, because no enlightened person would ever oppose a black President.

Opposing the President based upon his radical positions (and they are) is not, in and of itself, a sign of racism. This mantra of “subtle” and “coded” racism is disingenuous or misguided garbage. It cheapens the debate. It obfuscates real discussion, that of the President’s policies. Those who believe racism is the root of the opposition are thoroughly misguided as to the definition and true face of racism. Those who do not believe it but argue it all the same are dangerous race-baiters who should be shunned by anyone with a reasoned, logical mind.

Were a white pundit to come on any radio or television broadcast and speak about “black America” in the manner in which Terrell spoke about whites, that pundit would be called a racist and prejudiced.

Those calling him that would be right.

Leo Terrell is a prejudiced, hate-filled jerk. He owes Sean Hannity, Armstrong Williams, and all of America an apology for his angry, hate-filled tirade.